Chapter 401: Award Ceremony, Max Level Three Pointer
At 8:30 PM, the 2008 Beijing Olympics men's basketball award ceremony officially began.
Chen Yan walked out to center court with his teammates and felt his heart thumping so hard it almost drowned out the arena. The excitement was new, sharp, impossible to fake. Everything he had poured into this Olympic run was for this moment.
After the 3 medal teams lined up and took their spots, Kobe stepped in close with a smirk.
"Heh, Chen. This time I'm standing on the top podium."
There was a hint of arrogance in his voice, that familiar edge. Kobe never stopped competing, not even in a moment like this.
Chen Yan laughed, then fired back without missing a beat. "I hope you can still say that with a smile after the playoffs next season, old man."
While they traded jabs, staff carried the medals to the middle of the court.
The roar inside the arena swelled as China's players climbed onto the podium.
Camera flashes exploded in every direction, rapid and relentless, like the world was trying to freeze this second in place forever.
In the stands, Chen Yan's parents waved the national flag, cheering until their voices cracked. Their faces were bright with pride. There was nothing in the world that could compare to watching their son in a national team jersey, standing on an Olympic podium.
Across the ocean, Kevin watched the broadcast with a storm of emotions in his chest. He had already seen Team USA in the final, and he stayed up for the medal ceremony too.
He thought about how they had entered the NBA around the same time. Now Chen Yan was on an Olympic podium, while he still could not even reach the national team's threshold.
Jealousy hit him like a punch.
Not the kind that rots into hate, but the kind that makes a man clench his fists and swear he will catch up. Surpass him, if possible.
If Kevin ever truly hated someone, he would want them torn apart and thrown into hell.
But this was not that.
This was fuel.
Even NBA Commissioner David Stern was watching the live ceremony from his television. He cared about the Dream Team, of course, but he also paid close attention to Chen Yan.
And Chen Yan's Olympics had Stern genuinely excited.
After what he'd seen, Stern was even more convinced Chen Yan could become an iconic figure of this era, someone who could serve as a bridge between American basketball and China, Europe, and the rest of the world.
A thousand thoughts collapsed into 1 conclusion.
Keep supporting Chen Yan next season.
On the podium, Chen Yan pulled out the digital camera he had prepared ahead of time.
Unlike some people who used cameras to record other people's drama, his was simple. He only wanted the beautiful parts of life, the moments that mattered, the moments that belonged to him.
As the national flag rose and the anthem played, his hands, usually steady, began to tremble. Pride and honor surged up in his chest so fast it almost hurt.
He touched the emblem over his heart, then looked toward the highest podium in the center.
In silence, he made a promise.
Next time he stood here, it would be up there.
"Everyone," Yao Ming said, voicing the thought Chen Yan had just swallowed, "let's work hard together for the next Olympics, and stand on a higher podium."
The reaction from the team was immediate. Nobody treated it like empty encouragement. They believed it.
Before these Olympics, outsiders said China's ceiling was top 8. Now they had shattered the ceiling, won a medal, and carried it home.
Confidence was built through wins. And right now, this team's confidence was higher than it had ever been.
They were not afraid of anyone.
Even with all the emotion, Chen Yan's mind still stayed on Yao Ming's health.
During the ceremony, Chen Yan leaned closer and asked quietly, "Brother Yao, have you started the weight loss plan yet?"
Chen Yan had brought it up more than once. He wanted Yao to adjust his style. In Chen Yan's previous life, Yao Ming retired early after being overworked, and Chen Yan did not want to watch that future repeat.
Yao Ming shot him a look and grinned. "You want me to lose weight that badly? You kid, are you trying to get me lighter so you can dunk on me in the NBA?"
Chen Yan laughed. "I usually don't like dunking. It's too violent. Not really my style."
Yao Ming narrowed his eyes. If he had not watched Chen Yan dunk over Camby earlier in the tournament, he might have believed him.
After a few jokes, Yao Ming lowered his voice and got serious.
"I'm already discussing it with the team. They're supportive. But I think the Rockets won't agree. Losing weight means my paint offense will drop."
Yao Ming had never seriously considered losing weight before. But this Olympics changed his thinking. He saw that even as a big man who created space and played smarter, he could still win.
Chen Yan answered immediately, firm and direct. "Teams care about results and benefits. But we know our bodies best."
Yao Ming nodded. "Losing weight will reduce my intimidation and affect my numbers, but it will extend my career. I still want to play in another Olympics."
This run had shown him something. Hope. Potential. A future worth chasing.
Chen Yan smiled. "As long as you've got the idea, that's enough. The team will compromise eventually. If they don't, come to Taiwan. We can play like we did during this Olympic stretch."
Yao Ming laughed and waved it off. "Losing weight and changing my style is fine, but forget Taiwan. You guys play too fast. I'll exhaust myself before I exhaust them."
Chen Yan burst out laughing.
Yao Ming was always like that. Even in pressure moments, he could make people breathe again.
After the ceremony ended, Yao Ming said goodbye reluctantly.
Chen Yan's teammate experience card had expired.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the main quest and earning 100 honor points." "Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the main quest and obtaining the skill Spiritual Leader."
With the rewards secured, Chen Yan opened the system, ready to spend.
During the Olympics, he used the Status Boost Card almost every game, so he had not saved much. Even now, his total honor points sat at 365.
He decided to be reckless for once.
He spent 100 honor points to exchange for 2 attribute points and put them both into his 3 point shooting.
His 3 point attribute rose to 99.
Max level.
According to the system, when an attribute hit 99, it triggered a qualitative leap. The gap between 98 and 99 was not small, it was a different category.
This was worth every point.
After that, Chen Yan called Taylor.
She had watched the award ceremony recording on television. She wanted to be in Beijing, to see him live, but her concert tour schedule made it impossible. Chen Yan understood. At their age, careers came first.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would catch the last few concerts after returning to the United States.
Over the phone, Taylor invited him to join her onstage for a duet as a guest performer.
Chen Yan agreed without hesitation.
If they sang together at a concert, it would be electric.
He had not performed since the last All Star Game, and the itch was coming back. Singing was one of his personal hobbies, and a concert stage was its own kind of arena.
As they talked, Chen Yan's exhaustion finally won.
He fell asleep.
These weeks had been brutal, high intensity games every 2 days, almost every game pushed to the limit. Even Superman needed rest.
Early the next morning, a call from his agent jolted him awake.
After the Olympics, Chen Yan's popularity in China had reached true household name territory. Brands lined up to chase him, even with his endorsement fee soaring to a ridiculous level.
For the companies that had already signed him earlier, it felt like striking gold.
Several domestic and international health product companies approached his agent, Bill Duffy. They said his explosiveness and shooting range matched their brand image perfectly.
Bill Duffy wanted to refuse immediately, but the offers were too big to ignore, so he called to ask Chen Yan directly.
Chen Yan rejected them without hesitation.
His popularity was high, but quick money was not worth damaging his reputation and image. And even on a rookie deal, he was not short on cash.
His Olympic performance had pushed the sales of his signature sneakers to a new level. Just that revenue stream alone was massive, and that was before counting other endorsements.
Li Ning valued him even more now.
Development on his second generation signature shoe, the AeroWing II, had already started 3 months earlier. They even hired legendary designer Peter Moore, known for designing the AJ1 and the Adidas 3 stripes.
After the Olympic run ended, Chen Yan still had to stay in Beijing for 3 more days.
Not sightseeing.
Work.
He had multiple endorsement shoots scheduled, including an commercial filmed with the actress people called Fairy Sister. Handsome man and beautiful woman in the same frame was guaranteed to stir rumors, and online fans immediately started shipping them.
But both of them kept clear boundaries, on camera and off. The rumors faded on their own.
3 days later, Chen Yan contacted Yao Ming again, and this time it was not about basketball tactics or training plans.
Chen Yan had been worried about the earthquake disaster area the entire time. With the Olympics finally over, he had the time to go.
He joined Yao Ming and the Yao Foundation team on a trip to the disaster zone for relief work.
They organized a charity basketball game and held a fan meet and greet.
For basketball players, this was one of the best ways to give back.
During the meet and greet, a boy caught Chen Yan's attention.
He was 14, and already taller and stronger than most kids his age. But that was not what stood out.
The moment he saw Chen Yan, he burst into tears, snot running down his face, sobbing so hard he could barely breathe.
Chen Yan froze for a second, suddenly unsure what to do.
"Chen Yan," the boy managed, voice shaking, "I'm your fan. Before the earthquake, I never missed your games."
"Thank you," Chen Yan said, sincerely. He could feel the boy's passion, raw and real.
"Can you sign for me?"
"Of course."
The boy pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. The earthquake had destroyed his home. His jersey, his sneakers, everything connected to basketball had been buried under the ruins.
Chen Yan looked at the paper and paused.
"I'm sorry. I can't sign this."
The boy's face fell instantly.
Chen Yan turned to the staff. "Can I get a jersey and a pair of sneakers?"
They brought them over.
Chen Yan handed them to the boy. "But I can sign these."
The boy's eyes lit up again, as if someone had switched the lights back on.
"Can you write me a message too?" the boy asked quickly. "You're my idol. I want to play in the NBA like you."
"Of course." Chen Yan uncapped the pen. "What's your name?"
"Zhao Chen."
"Which Chen?"
"The Chen from Morning Star."
Chen Yan paused.
The name felt familiar, like he had heard it somewhere before. But he did not chase the thought. Not now.
He lowered the pen and wrote on the jersey:
"The key to a wonderful life is finding what you can become obsessed with. Keep going, Zhao Chen. Chase your dream."
When he finished, he handed the jersey back.
The boy held it like it was something fragile and sacred, like it could keep him standing no matter what happened next.
....
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